Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
at
Mumbai
in
Submitted by
Indranil Saha
&
July, 2014
Certificate from the Company
ii
Declaration
“This is to certify that this research report titled “A Study on Consumer Perception towards
Planet Sports and Newly Launched Brands Awareness Level” is based on my original research
work, conducted under the guidance of Mr. Priyank Sahay (Senior Manager-Category, Sports
Division, Future Lifestyle Fashion Ltd.) and Mr. Dibyendu Bikash Datta (CC, FMS, NIFT,
Kolkata) towards partial fulfillment of the requirement for award of the Master’s Degree in
Fashion Management, of the National Institute of Fashion Technology, Kolkata. No part of this
work has been copied from any other source. Material, wherever borrowed has been duly
acknowledged.”
Indranil Saha
iii
Acknowledgement
Apart from the researchers’ efforts, the success of any project depends largely on the
encouragement and guidelines of many others. I take this opportunity to express my gratitude to
the people who have been instrumental in the successful completion of this project. The guidance
and support received from all the respondents, store managers and area heads of Planet Sports,
who contributed to this project, was the main element for the success of the project. I am grateful
for their constant support and help. I also express my gratitude towards other faculty members of
FMS department, NIFT, Kolkata for encouraging and giving me valuable advices.
Above all, the moral support of my family and friends was the most instrumental in achievement
a satisfactory level in this project. Last but not the least; I would like to thank Mr. Priyank
Sahay, my industry mentor and Mr. Dibyendu Bikash Datta, my faculty guide who more than a
guide were mentors to me, guiding, motivating, encouraging and supporting me all through the
project. Their prompt reply to my queries and valuable suggestions contributed tremendously to
my project.
iv
Table of Contents
1. INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................................... 1
2. RESEARCH OBJECTIVE ........................................................................................................................... 5
3. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY .................................................................................................................. 5
4. REVIEW OF LITERATURE ........................................................................................................................ 8
5. CONCEPTS AND THEORIES .................................................................................................................. 19
6. RESULTS AND ANALYSIS ...................................................................................................................... 22
7. SUGGESTION, CONCLUSION& SCOPE OF THE RESEARCH ................................................................... 69
8. BIBLIOGRAPHY .................................................................................................................................... 70
9. ANNEXURES......................................................................................................................................... 72
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1. INTRODUCTION
Future Group is among India's leading business houses with multiple businesses spanning
across the consumption space. The group operates some of India's leading retail chains like Big
Bazaar, Food Bazaar, Central, Planet Sports, Home Town and eZone and also has allied
businesses in consumer finance, life and non-life insurance, logistics infrastructure and supply
chain and brand and IPR development. The group operates around 16 million square feet of retail
space in over 85 cities and towns and 60 rural locations across India. The group's retail formats
connect over 220 million customers to over 30,000 small, medium and large enterprises that
supply products and services to its retail chains. Future Group believes in developing strong
insights on Indian consumers and building businesses based on Indian ideas, as espoused in the
group's core value of Indianness.'The group's corporate credo is, 'Rewrite rules, Retain values.
Planet Sports is India's largest multi-brand sports and lifestyle specialty retail chain.
Planet Sports offers the largest collection of International sports and lifestyle brands. Planet
Sports stores have extensive offerings for sportswear and equipment across all categories
including running, tennis, training, golf, fitness, basketball, motor sports as well as other lifestyle
products. Also available at the Planet Sports stores are lifestyle products across categories like
footwear, apparel, accessories and sports equipment. Planet Sports prides itself for the sports
expertise it has built over time and also for having introduced renowned brands across sports
categories like swimming, tennis, squash, badminton, soccer, golf and basketball. Planet Sports’
brand portfolio includes leading sports brands like Converse, Speedo, Spalding, Adidas, Puma
and Nike. Planet Sports have recently launched two brands namely Umbro and Champion in
India. Planet Sports strives to provide integrated, reliable and cost efficient sports offerings to
Indian consumers and augment India’s sports culture.
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1.1. The Organization Hierarchy
2
1.2. The Work Flow of Planet Sports
The design team goes through various fashion journals and forecasting articles, analyses
the market and creates designs accordingly for the season. After the data regarding options and
quantities is received the design team starts creating the range for the season. They create options
per style according to the plan. After the range is developed, the designs are sent to the vendors
for sample making. After the samples are received, the team gives a presentation featuring the
samples of the range to the CEO. During the presentation suggestions and modifications on the
designs are noted down and the revised designs are sent for sampling. At the same time design
team works on the final Catalogue with the help of merchandising department. The merchandiser
team develops datasheets containing images of the products, style names, color options, vendors,
costs etc. The final catalogue contains merchandize specific key information like CAD
Illustration, Color options, Style name, Fabric, Content. While the catalogue for the season is
being processed, the MRPs are decided and added to the catalogue. Various determinants of
MRP are Costs, Margin and Market Demand. Top & Bottom Line Achievements indicate lower
price/unit and more sales in terms of quantity and higher price/unit and more sales in terms of
monetary value.
According to the planned quantities the orders are placed to the vendors. Planning is done
based on the previous year’s sales pattern. The technical team of Planet Sports starts feeding data
in the system. ERP software (SAP-System, Application & Products) helps in generating the
Articles. Information regarding costing, MRP are mentioned in the database. After the process is
done Purchase Order (PO) is raised. Barcode numbers are generated and hand tags are made.
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Allocation of the merchandize is done based on the previous season’s performance of the stores.
Stores are graded as Z+, Z, A+, A, B and C (Z+ being the best and C being the worst). Base
Stock is set according to previous season’s sales and quantity that is coming in to the store.
There are two channels for selling the merchandise-Retail & Distribution. Retail consists
of the various formats associated with Planet Sports and owned by Future Group. The formats
are Planet Sports (Stand Alone stores), Central (seamless mall), Brand Factory (Discount Store),
I am in (Departmental Store). Distribution consists of the Online Retailers (e.g. Myntra.com,
Jabong.com, Flipkart.com etc.) and the local distributors. Road show is organised to interact with
the buyers. For the road shows buy forms are made. A buy form contains all information of
merchandise. Size wise blank fields are given so that the potential buyers can mention order
quantity in those fields. In case the order quantity placed by the buyers is less than the order
placed for manufacturing, the extra allocation of the merchandise is moved to the retail formats
and if the order quantity placed by the buyers is more than the order placed for manufacturing,
the order cannot be taken and that situation is noted for future reference and learning.
Before and after the mass manufacturing process starts multi-level quality check and
sampling process is done. Each material of the merchandise is tested separately and they are
sealed for mass production only after they are approved. Mass production starts only after Fit
Samples, Reference Samples, and Wash Test Samples and Pre production samples are approved.
After the production is over, the merchandises are then shipped to the centralized warehouse
which is situated at Bhiwandi, Mumbai. From the vendor’s end an ASN (advance Shipment
Notice) is raised so as to get an appointment from the warehouse. For the retail formats STOs
(Stock Transfer Order) are generated. Four steps are involved in this process so as to confirm
that the store has received the merchandize at pre-allocated quantity. The steps are Order,
Warehouse Delivery, Goods Issued (to the store) and GRN (Good Receipt Note). Order ensures
if the order is placed to the warehouse. Warehouse Delivery ensures that the warehouse
personnel have started working on the packing and the shipment of the order and they are ready
to be shipped. Goods issued ensure that the order is shipped to the stores and GRN ensures that
the store has received the order. For the distribution channels sales order is placed and bills are
generated.
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Once the season starts sales data is retrieved from the retail formats as well as the
distribution channels on daily basis and DSR (Daily Sales Report) is stored in the database.
While the season comes to an end the sales for the current season is analyzed and discounts and
offers for End of Season Sale are decided. The EOSS happens in the month of January & July for
the season Autumn-Winter & Spring-Summer respectively.
2. RESEARCH OBJECTIVE
3. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
This research is conducted in order to collect primary data and reach the objective of the
dissertation. The type of the research is Exploratory as well as Descriptive. Exploratory research
is research conducted for a problem that has not been clearly defined (Patricia M. Shields, 2013).
Exploratory research often relies on secondary research such as reviewing available literature
and/or data, or qualitative approaches such as informal discussions with consumers, employees,
management or competitors, and more formal approaches through in-depth interviews, focus
groups, projective methods, case studies or pilot studies. The results of exploratory research are
not usually useful for decision-making by themselves, but they can provide significant insight
into a given situation. Although the results of qualitative research can give some indication as to
the "why", "how" and "when" something occurs, it cannot tell us "how often" or "how many".
Exploratory research is not typically generalizable to the population at large. Descriptive
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research or statistical research provides data about the population or universe being studied. But
it can only describe the "who, what, when, where and how" of a situation, not what caused it.
Therefore, descriptive research is used when the objective is to provide a systematic description
that is as factual and accurate as possible. It provides the number of times something occurs, or
frequency, lends itself to statistical calculations such as determining the average number of
occurrences or central tendencies (Descriptive Research). This type of research methods requires
quantifiable data involving numerical and statistical explanations. Quantitative analysis hinges
on researchers understanding the assumptions inherent within different statistical models. It
generates numerical data or information that can be converted into numbers(Ellis, 1993). The
presentation of data is through tables containing data in the form of numbers and statistics. The
primary intention was to collect secondary data and analyze it. After that primary data was
collected through a survey. The main purpose of the survey is to collect data about the consumer
perception of Planet Sports and the recognition level of newly launched brands. The factors
affecting the purchase intention of Planet Sports consumers, the buying pattern particularly with
respect to the demographic factors and the recognition level of newly launched foreign brands in
the store are the secondary objectives of the research.
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3.4. Sampling Size
Since there was time and accessibility constrains a sample size of 500 thought to be an
adequate one. 125 valid responds from the stores of East, West, North and South zones of India
were planned to be taken into account. Only 370 questionnaires could be received from east,
west and north zones. Among them 357 valid questionnaires were chosen and the research is
performed.
The main tool for this study is questionnaire. The questionnaire aims to gather
information about respondent’s demographic background, perception about Planet Sports and the
recognition level of the newly launched brands. Besides, various aspects like products, service
and branding strategies of the EBOs of major sports brands in Mumbai were also observed to do
a SWOT analysis of Planet Sports stores.
The data derived from the responses of the questionnaire is analyzed. The main statistical
analysis is descriptive statistics such as frequency, percentage and mean are calculated to
describe respondent’s background and purchase patterns involved with Planet Sports and their
opinion about the newly launched brands. Besides, the dependency between various variables is
analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics Data Editor Software.
When collecting data to approach the purpose of a research there are two ways in which
the data can be collected. In order to acquire a general knowledge about the topic, secondary data
is primarily used and this is one of the ways by which data can be collected. The second way to
collect data is the primary data collection. Usually when a study is conducted, secondary data is
not sufficient enough and needs to be completed with primary data which is collected by the
research. In this research study secondary data is collected from the previous research papers and
articles on the similar area to find out the background of sports industry of India, the key factors
of consumer perception and primary data is collected through a questionnaire survey so as to
gather response from the Planet Sports customers.
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4. REVIEW OF LITERATURE
4.1.1. Perception
In general psychological terms, perception is the ability to make some kind of sense of
reality from the external sensory stimuli to which we are exposed. Several factors can influence
our perception, causing it to change in certain ways. For example, repeated exposure to one kind
of stimuli can either make us oversensitive or desensitized to it. Additionally, the amount of
attention we focus on something can cause a change in our perception of it.
4.1.2. Branding
A brand, or a brand name, is the attempt to impose some kind of identifying feature on a
product or service so that it is easily recognized by the general public. A brand is oftentimes
associated with an image, a set of expectations or recognizable logo. The goal of a brand is to set
a product or service apart from others of its kind, and influence the consumers to choose the
product over similar products simply because of its associations.
Positioning is the process whereby marketers attempt to build a brand. Marketers actively
try to create an image which is both recognizable and appeals to a certain group of people or
target market. Repositioning is the process of altering this image, usually in order to influence a
larger target market and thereby influence the behavior of a greater number of consumers.
Depositioning is the practice of trying to devalue alternative, competing brands in the
perceptions of a shared target market.
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4.1.4. Value and Quality
Value refers to the perceptions a consumer has of a product's benefits when weighed
against its cost. Value can be measured both qualitatively--the emotional or psychological
pleasure a consumer derives from a product or service--and quantitatively, in terms of the actual
financial gain it wins them. Quality can be related to value, and may be taken into account when
measuring the value of a product or service. More formally, it refers to the way in which a
product or service relates to its competitors, or else conforms to a set of measurable standards.
Buyer’s remorse is a strong feeling of regret which occurs after a purchase has been
made. It is a specific case of cognitive dissonance, or the psychological state of worry or unease
which comes about when attempting to come to terms with conflicting ideas, perceptions or
motives. Buyer’s remorse usually occurs after a consumer has made a purchase he or she has
come to regret. Generally, it involves the realization that the opportunity of purchasing one
product or service over another in some way outweighs the value of the purchase. In this regard,
it occurs when a consumer’s perception of a purchase changes after he or she has already
invested in it.
The perceptions consumers have of a business and its products or service have a dramatic
effect on buying behavior. That’s why businesses spend so much money marketing themselves,
honing their customer service and doing whatever else they can to favorably influence the
perceptions of target consumers. With careful planning and execution, a business can influence
those perceptions and foster profitable consumer behaviors.(Stan Mack, 2010)
Consumers continually synthesize all the information they have about a company to form
a decision about whether that company offers value. In a sense, consumer perception is an
approximation of reality, notes the book “Consumer Behaviour,” by Atul Kr. Sharma. Businesses
attempt to influence this perception of reality, sometimes through trickery and manipulation but
often just by presenting themselves in the best possible light. For example, advertisements often
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trumpet the quality and convenience of a product or service, hoping to foster a consumer
perception of high value, which can pay off with increased sales. (Sharma, 2006)
Consumer risk perception is another factor businesses must take into account when trying
to encourage buying behaviors. The more risky a proposition is, the more difficult it is to get
consumers to act. If consumers aren’t familiar with a brand of product, they can’t assess the risk
involved; it could be poorly built, for instance, or too costly compared to substitutes. Businesses
can overcome this hesitancy by offering as much product information as possible in the form of
advertisements or by encouraging product reviews. Allowing potential customers to handle the
product in stores or test it at home also decreases risk perception, as does offering a flexible
return policy.(Satish K Batra, 2009)
Successful businesses don’t relax once a customer makes a purchase. Rather, they
continue to foster perceptions that result in profitable behaviors. Once consumers have tried a
product, the task becomes maintaining a good reputation and establishing brand loyalty. Offering
superior customer service is an effective tactic because it maintains the perception that the
business cares about its customers’ best interests. In return, customers become loyal to the
business, which secures a consistent revenue stream for the company and makes it more difficult
for competitors to poach customers.
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4.3. How to measure Consumer Perception
Customers that are satisfied with a product or business have an overall good perception of
that product or business. When consumers' perceptions are good, they will continue purchasing
goods from this company. These customers also will avoid spreading disappointing experiences
to others. Consumer perceptions are based on feelings. A customer perception measurement is an
important tool used by companies that expresses how well the companies are satisfying
customers.(VanBaren, 2010)
Create a survey to give customers. The only way to measure and increase customer's
positive perceptions of your company is to ask customer's how they feel about your company. By
creating a survey, information directly from the customer can be recorded. In order for the
survey to be successful, it should contain several key elements. The survey must be relatively
simple and short. The survey must also be created in a way that would allow actionable reports to
be generated from the information it contains.
Analyze survey results. After surveys are distributed and re-collected, the company
should analyze the results. When analyzing results, it must be remembered that customer
perception is subjective. It varies immensely from person to person and one particular
measurement may not be appropriate for the entire sample taken.
Measure the results. After the results are analyzed, the information should be measured.
This is accomplished by answering several key questions related to the objective. The results of
the survey can be compared to results of previous surveys. Each time a survey is conducted the
results should become better.
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concrete factors of price and quality to less tangible factors such a consumer's view of the
manufacturer's reputation, experience with service and the quality of packaging and branding, a
number of complex and interrelated psychological factors determine a consumer's perception of
goods and services.(Mercer, 2009)
4.4.1. Price
Price has a complex effect on consumer perception. On the one hand, consumers
appreciate a bargain and are often likely to favor an economically-priced item. On the other,
consumers often perceive very inexpensive items as cheap, ultimately damaging a consumer's
view of a product even if the product remains the same and the consumer is benefited from a
price reduction. Especially sophisticated or skeptical consumers are even prone to distrust a
product that is considerably cheaper than the alternatives. As a result, price should be part of a
comprehensive marketing plan, where even inexpensive products are depicted as favorable
alternatives with similar levels of quality to the competition, with a price that is somewhat lower
but still comparable with other possibilities.
4.4.2. Quality
Even in the case of goods that exhibit numerous flaws, excellent service quality can often
overshadow a negative experience with the product itself. If a consumer feels that he receives
exceptional attention when encountering a problem with a product, that consumer is somewhat
more likely to trust the brand or product knowing that the manufacturer or retailer provides a
prompt and effective response to problems. Humans are social animals and their consumer
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behavior is often determined by the social relationships that surround a product, including
interactions with customer service representatives.
Packaging and branding have a huge effect on consumer perceptions, particularly at the
point of purchase. Especially when consumers are purchasing a type of product for the first time,
the way the product is presented can wholly determine their perception of the item. Packaging
and branding, of course, cover everything from the attractiveness and display quality of an item
to the attributes of a product the manufacturer chooses to highlight. Depending on the type of
product and market, different branding messages from tough and reliable to fine and luxurious
can be appropriate and effective.
4.4.5. Reputation
The marketing research process seeks to identify consumer perceptions and attitudes in
order to create successful products and promotional campaigns. Several research methods, such
as the Likert scale, measure consumer attitudes in a quantitative fashion. Other methods, such as
shadowing and behavior mapping, use qualitative observational data in order to interpret
consumer perceptions. Regardless of the research methods that are used, the process of
uncovering consumer perceptions and attitudes involves defining the problem, developing a
research plan, collecting the information, analyzing the information, and making a strategic
decision.(Keller, 2006)
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4.5.1. The Marketing Research Process
A solid marketing research plan begins with a definition of the problem it wishes to
solve. Often that problem is centered on a set of consumer perceptions. For example, a company
that wishes to re-brand a line of tortilla chips due to lagging sales will design a research plan
whose objective is to uncover the perceptions and attitudes that are driving the lack of sales
volume. A secondary objective of such a research plan might be uncovering what types of tortilla
chip attributes, including flavor and package design, will cause consumers to purchase the brand
over the competition. Another important step in the research process is determining what types
of methods will be used.
When conducting marketing research, two types of data sources are used. A good
researcher will use a combination of both primary and secondary data. Secondary data involves
the use of existing research that was conducted by someone else for another purpose. Primary
data is new research that is gathered for the specific research problem at hand. There are several
methods in which to collect primary data. Those methods include observation, focus groups,
surveys, behavioral data, and experimental research.
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4.5.4. Qualitative Methods
India’s sportswear market has evolved from a niche segment, which was exclusively
aimed at sportspersons, to a burgeoning consumer sector. The industry has witnessed rapid
growth over the past few years, driven by growth in income levels, changing lifestyles and the
entry of foreign players after liberalization. The ever-increasing popularity of cricket, combined
with the growing interest in sports such as football, hockey and tennis, has contributed to the
growth of the functional sportswear market in the country. In addition to this, the trend of using
sportswear as casual wear has expanded the definition of target consumers for leading brands.
Some brands also offer collections to cater to this demand for casual wear.(SartorialViews, 2012)
The sportswear retail market in India is estimated at INR365.8 billion and is expected to
grow at a robust CAGR of 33% during 2010–2014. The market includes sports apparel, footwear
and accessories, with footwear being the largest segment, accounting for around 60% of the total
market. The country’s sportswear segment is largely unorganized with organized players
constituting only around 30% of the market. Franchised exclusive brand outlets (EBOs) and
multi-brand outlets form the core retail channels for sportswear in India.
In 1994, Nike entered the Indian market through a licensing arrangement with Sierra
Industrial Enterprises Pvt. Ltd. The company later established a wholly owned subsidiary in
India in 2004.Today, the organized sportswear market in India is dominated by the “big four”
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(Adidas, Reebok, Nike and Puma) global players, which have over 80% market share of the
organized market, with several others such as Fila and Lotto ramping up their presence.These
brands face competition from multi-brand sportswear retailers such as Planet Sports and Royal
Sporting House (RSH).
The Indian sportswear market is poised for strong growth over the next few years.
Several factors, including a booming middle-class population, a paradigm shift in consumers’
attitude to health and fitness, an increase in the number of sports events and the growth of
organized retail are driving this market. Recent changes in government regulations on FDI in
retail, passed by the Union Cabinet, are expected to give a further impetus to the organized
sportswear market. The Government has increased FDI in single-brand retail from 51% to 100%
with conditions largely around domestic sourcing.
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4.6.4. Key challenges
However, the domestic sportswear industry is facing several challenges, including the
following:
Counterfeiting
Counterfeiting is one of the biggest challenges sportswear brands are facing in India
today. Unorganized players imitate product styles, brand logos and names, which adversely
impacts the brand equity and sales brands.
Rising costs
In the Union Budget 2011, the Government revised optional excise duty for readymade
garments and made-up textiles, and levied a 10% mandatory excise tax on all branded apparel
manufacturers. As a result, branded garments, including sportswear apparel, are likely to witness
a price increase of 5%–10%.
Unorganized market
Players face major competition from unorganized players that constitute around ~70% of
the overall sportswear market, since the latter have a significant advantage over their organized
counterparts in pricing.
Online shopping
Increasing penetration of the internet in India is fueling the growth of online shopping.
Brands such as Reebok (www.shop4reebok.com) and Lotto (shop.in.lottosport.com) have
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initiated their online shops in India. Companies such as Puma and Nike have partnered with
online retailers such as Myntra and Jabong to expand their distribution beyond conventional
multi-brand outlets and large retailers.
Sports merchandising
Product innovation
The sportswear industry has been witnessing significant innovation in the premium as
well as the mass segment. Brands such as Reebok have introduced new products such as
“Easytone” and “Zigtech,” and Nike the “DriFIT” apparel technology.
Lifestyle positioning
The sports lifestyle business has been growing at 30%–40% per annum. Players are
increasingly positioning their sportswear brands as lifestyle products by collaborating with well-
known designers such as Manish Malhotra, Shantanu, Nikhil and Aki Narula. Other apparel
retailers such as S Kumars Nationwide and Reliance Retail have also forayed into the lifestyle
sportswear market.
Having covered large cities, sportswear brands are now trying to ramp up their presence
in tier-II and tier-III cities. Companies are using a reduced pricing and localization strategy to
drive sales in these cities. In addition to investing in brick-and-mortar stores, they are also
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reaching out to these cities through online channels that are contributing increasingly to the
overall revenues of such players.
Growing
Awareness
middle
of health
class
and fitness
population
Growth in Increase in
organized sporting
retail events
Today, India has become a strategic market and offers strong growth opportunities to
sportswear brands. Several of them are trying to strengthen their presence in the country by
expanding their retail footprint and driving their volume growth. Furthermore, the recent
regulatory changes made in FDI in single brands are expected to give a further impetus to
sportswear brands.
19
the population as a whole, and it might be biased by volunteers. For example, a study to
determine the average age and sex of gamblers at a casino that is conducted for three hours on a
weekday afternoon might be overrepresented by elderly people who have retired and
underrepresented by people of working age. This is also called accidental sampling. (What is
Convenience Sampling?)
A statistical hypothesis test is a method of making decisions using data from a scientific
study. In statistics, a result is called statistically significant if it has been predicted as unlikely to
have occurred by chance alone, according to a pre-determined threshold probability, the
significance level. The phrase "test of significance" was coined by statistician Ronald Fisher.
These tests are used in determining what outcomes of a study would lead to a rejection of the
null hypothesis for a pre-specified level of significance; this can help to decide whether results
contain enough information to cast doubt on conventional wisdom, given that conventional
wisdom has been used to establish the null hypothesis. The critical region of a hypothesis test is
the set of all outcomes which cause the null hypothesis to be rejected in favor of the alternative
hypothesis (Kaye & Freedman, 2011). Statistical hypothesis testing is sometimes called
confirmatory data analysis, in contrast to exploratory data analysis, which may not have pre-
specified hypotheses. Statistical hypothesis testing is a key technique of frequentist inference.
Statistical hypothesis tests define a procedure that controls (fixes) the probability of
incorrectly deciding that a default position (null hypothesis) is incorrect based on how likely it
would be for a set of observations to occur if the null hypothesis were true. Note that this
probability of making an incorrect decision is not the probability that the null hypothesis is true,
nor whether any specific alternative hypothesis is true. This contrasts with other possible
techniques of decision theory in which the null and alternative hypothesis are treated on a more
equal basis. One naive Bayesian approach to hypothesis testing is to base decisions on the
posterior probability (Schervish, 1996). But this fails when comparing point and continuous
hypotheses. Other approaches to decision making, such as Bayesian decision theory, attempt to
balance the consequences of incorrect decisions across all possibilities, rather than concentrating
on a single null hypothesis. A number of other approaches to reaching a decision based on data
are available via decision theory and optimal decisions, some of which have desirable properties,
20
yet hypothesis testing is a dominant approach to data analysis in many fields of science.
Extensions to the theory of hypothesis testing include the study of the power of tests, which
refers to the probability of correctly rejecting the null hypothesis when a given state of nature
exists. Such considerations can be used for the purpose of sample size determination prior to the
collection of data.
A chi-squared test, also referred to as chi-square test or χw² test, is any statistical hypothesis
test in which the sampling distribution of the test statistic is a chi-squared distribution when the
null hypothesis is true. Also considered a chi-squared test is a test in which this is asymptotically
true, meaning that the sampling distribution (if the null hypothesis is true) can be made to
approximate a chi-squared distribution as closely as desired by making the sample size large
enough.
One case where the distribution of the test statistic is an exact chi-squared distribution is the
test that the variance of a normally distributed population has a given value based on a sample
variance. Such a test is uncommon in practice because values of variances to test against are
seldom known exactly. (Corder, 2009)
If a sample of size n is taken from a population having a normal distribution, then there is a
result (see distribution of the sample variance) which allows a test to be made of whether the
variance of the population has a pre-determined value. For example, a manufacturing process
might have been in stable condition for a long period, allowing a value for the variance to be
determined essentially without error. Suppose that a variant of the process is being tested, giving
rise to a small sample of n product items whose variation is to be tested. The test statistic T in
this instance could be set to be the sum of squares about the sample mean, divided by the
nominal value for the variance (i.e. the value to be tested as holding). Then T has a chi-squared
distribution with n − 1 degrees of freedom. For example if the sample size is 21, the acceptance
region for T for a significance level of 5% is the interval 9.59 to 34.17. (Weisstein, 2012)
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5.4. Pie Chart
A pie chart (or a circle graph) is a circular chart divided into sectors, illustrating numerical
proportion. In a pie chart, the arc length of each sector (and consequently its central angle and
area), is proportional to the quantity it represents. While it is named for its resemblance to a pie
which has been sliced, there are variations on the way it can be presented. The earliest known pie
chart is generally credited to William Playfair's Statistical Breviary of 1801. (Cleveland, 1985)
Pie charts are very widely used in the business world and the mass media. However, they have
been criticized, and many experts recommend avoiding them, pointing out that research has
shown it is difficult to compare different sections of a given pie chart, or to compare data across
different pie charts. Pie charts can be replaced in most cases by other plots such as the bar chart.
SWOT analysis is a tool that identifies the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and
threats of an organization. SWOT is a basic, straightforward model that assesses what an
organization can and cannot do as well as its potential opportunities and threats
(INVESTOPEDIA). SWOT Analysis of Planet Sports has been done based on observation of
Planet Sports stores and EBOs of major sports brands of India. Various articles regarding Indian
Sportswear industry were also gone through.
Strength
Planet Sports is India's largest multi-brand sports and lifestyle specialty retail chain
Planet Sports stores have extensive offerings for sportswear and equipment across all
categories as well as other lifestyle products
Planet Sports belongs to a Strong Parent Company Future Group which has a strong
Retail Presence in India
Strong and Experienced Vendor Base throughout Categories
A well-equipped Design Team
A wide channel for distribution (Sale perspective) of Merchandise across India
Wide presence in India covering major cities and towns
22
Variety of products and brands under single window increasing the chances of
customer time and choices
Planet Sports provides sports offerings to Indian consumers and augment India’s sports
culture
Weakness
Lower Price Points for Agency Brands resulting in high quantity sales but lesser turn-
over (Opportunity Loss)
Smaller Stores as Compared to other Lifestyle retail Formats
Lower awareness Level of the new agency brands in Customers
Less of promotional activities done by Planet Sports and not much of advertisement
Less knowledgeable sales representatives
Lack of motivation amongst sales representatives
Excessive inventory
Lack of Space within the store
Inappropriate music being played in the store
Static and less attractive window display
Unplanned, scattered and clumsy merchandise display within the store
Opportunity
Growing awareness of sports and fitness among the population in India, especially in
Metros
Changing Lifestyle and increase in per capita income of India
Product expansion in areas like sports accessories and equipment (soccer ball,
mountaineering equipment etc.) which may give high profit
Opening more stores in tier II cities
Enhance brand visibility by collaborating with major sports academies and national
sports events across India for nurturing young talent
Online promotion and activities to enhance newly launched brand awareness
Training sessions for the sales representatives regarding product specification and
SOP of the store
23
Threat
100% FDI in single Brand Retail causing more Brands setting up their own Exclusive
Outlets
Harsh competition and to keep-up with the competitions efforts will cost a lot of money
and pressure on marketing and R&D
Footwear market is highly competitive, major competition from low end brands
available online
Fake imitations and replicas of renowned brands and logos often cause a problem
Adaption of new techniques and innovation in the EBOs of the major sports brands
Gender
Cumulative
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Percent
Age
Cumulative
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Percent
24
Missing System 10 2.8
Total 357 100.0
Education
Cumulative
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Percent
6.2.1.4. Occupation
Occupation
Cumulative
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Percent
25
6.2.1.5. Monthly Income
MonthlyIncome
Cumulative
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Percent
SportActivitiesPerformed
Cumulative
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Percent
Demographic Inference:The above table provides the insights of the demographic profile of the
respondents. The sample size for the study was of 357 respondents which includes 298 males and
59 females. Major population of the sample belongs to 20-25 years of age. 50% of the
respondents have bachelor degree as educational qualification and majorly the respondents are
either students or working as an employee. Major population of the sample lies in the monthly
income group of Less than 20,000 INR and 20,000-30,000 INR. 74.4% respondents are into
sports activities where it was found that the respondents associated with sport activities are
mostly into Football and Cricket.
26
6.2.2. Store Location
Location
Cumulative
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Percent
Inference:
The questionnaires were circulated among the stand alone stores of Planet Sports all over
India; however, data from three zones (i.e. North, East and West) could only be received and
analyzed. It is seen that 35.3% of the responds have come from the Northern part of India which
includes the stores of Delhi, NCR and Chandigarh and the Eastern part of India which includes
the stores of Kolkata, Ranchi, Siliguri and Shillong. 29.41% of responds have come from the
Western part of India which includes the stores of Pune.
27
6.2.3. Billing Amount (in INR)
The minimum billing amount was 99 INR and the maximum billing amount was 27636 INR. In
order to analyze the huge distribution of data points, the entire data set is divided in ten intervals.
And the dataset is recoded as follows:
Code Range
1 99-2853
2 2854-5606
3 5607-8360
4 8361-11114
5 11115-13868
6 13869-16621
7 16622-19375
8 19376-22129
9 22130-24882
10 24883-27636
Cumulative
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Percent
5.00 2 .6 .6 98.9
7.00 1 .3 .3 99.2
8.00 2 .6 .6 99.7
10.00 1 .3 .3 100.0
28
Inference:
The above graph clearly shows that maximum (56.78%) billing amount is from 99-2853 INR
and 34.75% respondents made purchase of 2854-5606 INR. It is clear from the figures that there
is a huge potential of the products which are priced below 6000 INR.
ShoppingFrequency
Cumulative
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Percent
29
Inference:
The above graph and tables shows the shopping frequency of the respondents. Major
population of the sample (40.56%) visit Planet Sports once in six months and 36.9% visit Planet
Sports once in a Month. From the above data we can infer that there is a major possibility of a
customer to visit Planet Sports is six times in six months.
PreferredProductType
Cumulative
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Percent
30
Inference:
The above graph shows that the Planet Sports 42.3% customers purchase Footwear and
20.5% population of the sample purchase apparels from the store. 7.6% of the respondents
purchase sports equipments and it is seen that 16.6% respondents purchase both Apparels and
Footwear. From the data it can be inferred that the management can mainly focuson the footwear
and apparels category. The accessories and sports equipments section should offer more
versatility in terms of product offerings and price points so as to attract the customers to the
mentioned departments.
31
6.2.4.3. Planet sports visibility in media
Cumulative
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Percent
Inference:
The above pie chart shows that 56.4% of the population from the sample size gets to know
about the store from friends through word-of-mouth communication process. A major section of
the respondents i.e. 16.62% says that they got to see the store through walk in to the shopping
area or the mall. It is clear from the data that the management should increase the promotion and
branding of the store and its agency brands in the print and visual media so as to increase the
awareness.
32
6.2.4.4. Driving factor of making a purchase
DrivingFactor
Cumulative
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Percent
Inference:
The above table of data and the bar graph represent the driving factors which influence the
customer to purchase from Planet sports. 36.83% and 37.11% of the sample says they find better
quality and a variety of products respectively in the Planet Sports stores.
33
6.2.4.5. Amount spent per shopping
Inference:
The above graph represents the approximate amount that a customer spends during shopping.
It is seen that 23.45% of the respondents shop within the price bracket of 2501-3500 INR. A
major section of the respondents (20.62%) spends 1500-2500 INR while shopping. It was seen
that the respond percentages are almost equal within the range of 1500 to 5500 INR which
supports the percentage variation of the billing amount distribution.
34
6.2.4.6. Product range under product categories
Inference:
The above graph answers whether the customers finds wide range of products in one product
category. 68.56% of the sample agrees that Planet Sports provide wide range of products in one
product category. 20.11% of the sample says there are not many options in product categories
where 7.082% completely disagrees with the fact that Planet Sports provide wide range of
products in one product category.
35
6.2.4.7. Sales representative’s interaction
Cumulative
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Percent
No Interaction 1 .3 .3 100.0
Inference:
The above graph tells about the sales representative’s interaction within the store. Whether
the interaction is effective enough to make a purchase decision or not is aimed to be found out
from the above data. 45.63% sample says that the interaction was effective and 53.52% says that
it was good enough to make a purchase decision. The data gives a very strong and positive
feedback regarding the sales representative’s interaction in the store.
36
6.2.4.8. Satisfaction after purchase
Satisfaction
Cumulative
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Percent
Inference:
The above table and graph represent whether the customer feels satisfied after they make a
purchase from Planet Sports. 98.6% of the sample says that they feel satisfied after shopping at
Planet sports which is again a very positive indication regarding the store from the consumer’s
point of view.
37
6.2.4.9. Product quality
ProductQuality
Cumulative
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Percent
Inference:
The above table and graph show the customer’s view on how Planet Sports is maintaining
product quality compared to the other retail stores. A scale of three heads (excellent, average &
below average) is given to get response. 55.65% respondents say that they find the quality of the
Planet Sports store excellent and 40.96% respondents say that they find it average.
38
6.2.4.10. Store rating
Statistics
RatingPS
N Valid 346
Missing 11
Mean 3.6301
Inference:
The above table and graph give the overall rating of the Planet Sports store compared to other
similar stores that offer sports products. A scale of five heads (1 to 5 representing low rating to
high) is given to get response. This includes all possible factors like ambience, look, smell, the
overall experience inside the store etc. 41.62% respondents rated Planet Sports between average
and high, however, the mean value comes out to be 3.63 from which it can be inferred that Planet
Sports store gets high rating from its customers.
39
6.2.5. Newly launched brand recognition & awareness level
6.2.5.1. If heard of the brands
U/CHeard
Cumulative
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Percent
Inference:
The above table and graph indicate if the customer heard about the newly launched brands
(i.e. Umbro and Champion) ever. The result shows that 65.12% of the respondents heard about
the brands and 34.88% never heard about these two brands.
40
6.2.5.2. How often heard about the brands
Statistics
UCHowOftenHeard
N Valid 326
Missing 31
Mean 2.2730
Inference:
The above table and graph indicate if the customer heard about the newly launched brands
(i.e. Umbro and Champion), how often they heard about it. 51.84% respondents say that it was
moderately often that they heard of the brands. A huge section of the respondents (37.73%) say
that it was not at all often that they heard about the brands.
41
6.2.5.3. If the customer was informed about the new brands
Cumulative
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Percent
Inference:
The above table and graph indicate if the customer was informed about the newly launched
brands (i.e. Umbro and Champion) and its products after he/she entered Planet Sports. The result
shows that 70.38% of the respondents were informed about the brands and 29.62% was never
informed about these two brands after they entered the store.
42
6.2.5.4. Familiarity with the brands
Statistics
UCFamiliar
N Valid 336
Missing 21
Mean 2.1280
Inference:
The above table and graph give the data ofhow familiar the customer is with the newly
launched brands. Familiarity simply means the presence of knowledge (concept, product range
etc) regarding the brands. A scale of three heads (extremely familiar, moderately familiar and not
at all familiar) is given to get response. 65.18% respondents were moderately familiar with the
brands. The mean value (2.13) of the result supports the data.
43
6.2.5.5. Brand visibility in media
Cumulative
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Percent
Inference:
The above table and graph give the data of visibility of the newly launched brands in Media.
35.57% respondents never saw the advertisements of Umbro& Champion anywhere. 18.37% and
17.78% respondents say that the brands were visible on TV and hoardings respectively.
44
6.2.5.6. If the brands were used
Cumulative
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Percent
Inference:
The above table and graph answers if the respondent has ever used the brands Umbro&
Champion. 55.49% respondents never used the brands Umbro and Champion and 44.51% says
that they have used the brands.
45
6.2.5.7. Satisfaction if used already
UCSatisfactionLevel
Cumulative
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Percent
Inference:
The above table and graph answers if the respondent has ever used the brands Umbro&
Champion, whether they are satisfied with the products of the brands. 61.01% population of the
sample who had used the brands says that they are moderately satisfied with the new brand(s).
46
6.2.5.8. Preferred price range for Performance shoes and Lifestyle shoes
Cumulative
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Percent
Inference:
The above table and graph give the data regarding the preferred price range a customer is
willing to pay for one unit of Performance sports shoes (running, training etc). The result says
the price bracket of 2000-3000 INR is most preferred price range for the same. 24.38%
respondents were also willing to spend 3001-4000 INR for the same category.
47
Sports Shoe Lifestyle ProfferedPriceCategory
Cumulative
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Percent
Inference:
The above table and graph give the data regarding the preferred price range a customer is
willing to pay for one unit of lifestyle sports shoes (casual). The result says the price bracket of
2000-3000 INR is most preferred price range for the same. Almost similar percentage of
respondents is ready to pay 3001-4000 INR and Less than 2000 INR for the same category.
48
6.2.5.9. Category wise most preferred brands
49
Inference:
The above graphs show the most preferred brand for the Apparels, Footwear and Accessories
categories. According to the result Nike is the most preferred brand as 41.27%, 46.65% and
38.78% respondents choose Nike for apparels, footwear and accessories respectively.
Respondents have chosen Umbro more than Champion as preferred brand, however the
percentage of both brands are very less than the brands leading the list.
50
6.2.5.10. Likeliness of recommendation
Statistics
UCRecommendation
N Valid 287
Missing 70
Mean 4.9199
UCRecommendation
Cumulative
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Percent
51
Inference:
The above graph and tables give the information about how likely the customer would
recommend the newly launched brands to the peer groups. In order to get the respond a ten point
scale was used. And the mean value comes out to be 4.91 which tell that the recommendation
chance is neither extremely likely nor not at all likely as the mean value lies almost at the center
of the data range.
52
6.2.6. Dependency (Chi-square) Tests of variables (at 95% confidence level)
6.2.6.1. Dependency of the often purchased product typewith customer’s sports
involvement
Variables:
Hypothesis:
H0: The often purchased product type does not depend on customer’s sports involvement
H1: The often purchased product type depends on customer’s sports involvement
Cases
PrefferedProductType * SportActivitiesPerformedCrosstabulation
Count
SportActivitiesPerformed
Yes No Total
PrefferedProductType Apparels 56 11 67
Footwear 106 39 145
Accessories 18 7 25
Sports Equipment 29 7 36
All 5 2 7
53
Chi-Square Tests
As the Pearson Chi square significant value is greater than the test significant value (0.05), we accept
null hypothesis.
Inference: The often purchased product type does not depend on customer’s sports involvement.
54
6.2.6.2. Dependency of the billing amountwith customer’s monthly income
Variables:
Billing Amount
Customer’s monthly income
Hypothesis:
Cases
Valid Missing Total
55
Recoded Billing Amount * MonthlyIncomeCrosstabulation
Count
MonthlyIncome
2.00 27 25 13 9 7 25 106
3.00 9 2 3 1 2 2 19
4.00 1 0 2 0 0 0 3
5.00 0 0 1 0 0 0 1
7.00 0 0 0 0 0 1 1
10.00 0 0 0 1 0 0 1
Total 103 58 36 21 16 43 277
Chi-Square Tests
. 29 cells (69.0%) have expected count less than 5. The minimum expected count is .06.
56
As the Pearson Chi square significant value is greater than the test significant value (0.05), we accept
null hypothesis.
Inference: The billing amount does not depend on customer’s monthly income.
6.2.6.3. Dependency of the driving factor for purchase with customer’s occupation
Variables:
Hypothesis:
H0: The driving factor for purchase does not depend on Customer’s occupation
Cases
57
DrivingFactor * Occupation Crosstabulation
Count
Occupation
Government
Student Housewife Employee Entrepreneur Official Others Total
Various Brands 19 3 21 4 0 4 51
Others 2 1 2 0 0 1 6
Total 134 16 127 29 22 22 350
Chi-Square Tests
58
As the Pearson Chi square significant value is greater than the test significant value (0.05), we accept
null hypothesis.
Inference: The driving factor for purchase does not depend on Customer’s occupation
Variables:
Hypothesis:
59
Case Processing Summary
Cases
Satisfaction * SportActivitiesPerformedCrosstabulation
Count
SportActivitiesPerformed
Yes No Total
No 3 2 5
Total 250 86 336
Chi-Square Tests
60
As the Pearson Chi square significant value is greater than the test significant value (0.05), we accept null hypothesis.
Inference: The satisfaction factor does not depend on customer’s sports involvement
6.2.6.5. Dependency of the often purchased product type with customer’s age
Variables:
Customer’s age
Hypothesis:
H0: The often purchased product type does not depend on customer’s age
Cases
61
PrefferedProductType * Age Crosstabulation
Count
Age
Under 20 Years 20-25 Years 26-30 Years 31-40 Years 41-50 Years 51-60 Years Above 60 Years Total
PrefferedProductType Apparels 16 32 8 9 7 0 0 72
Footwear 43 42 19 23 11 7 1 146
Accessories 1 9 5 7 2 1 0 25
Sports Equipment 7 10 5 10 2 1 3 38
All 1 3 1 2 0 1 0 8
Chi-Square Tests
62
As the Pearson Chi square significant value is greater than the test significant value (0.05), we accept null hypothesis.
Inference: The often purchased product type does not depend on customer’s age
63
6.2.6.6. Dependency of the often purchased product typewith customer’s gender
Variables:
Hypothesis:
H0: The often purchased product type does not depend on customer’s gender
H1: The often purchased product type depends on customer’s gender
Cases
64
PrefferedProductType * Gender Crosstabulation
Count
Gender
PrefferedProductType Apparels 59 14 73
Accessories 21 6 27
Sports Equipment 33 5 38
All 8 0 8
Chi-Square Tests
65
As the Pearson Chi square significant value is greater than the test significant value (0.05), we accept null hypothesis.
Inference: The often purchased product type does not depend on customer’sgender
66
6.3. Research Analysis
The previous chapter focused on the research results of the questionnaire survey. In this part
the outcome from the results, suggestions for improvements as well as general conclusions are
going to be discussed. The purpose of this paper is to find out how the company’s existing
customers perceive the store, how they experience the service they receive and the products they
are offered. The research revealed a very positive result, the customer’s service expectations are
met and surpassed and the existing customers’ have in general a very positive attitude towards
the atmosphere and image of the store. Nevertheless, the results also showed on aspects the
company can work on in the future in order to improve the customers’ perceptions even more.
This study may help the company to discover and learn more about their customers’ opinions
and perceptions. By doing so, the company can learn how to serve their customers even better in
the future.
On an overall basis the responses were very positive and the results showed on the strengths
the company possesses when it comes to product offerings, price, quality and service. While
analyzing the results the first weakness was the lack of female respondents, only 16.53% of the
respondents were female. The consumers are mostly 20-25 years of age and they are either
students or employees. Moreover, the monthly income of the customers is mostly less than
30,001 INR. So from the research it can be aptly said that college students and the young
professionals are the consumer base of Planet Sports. From the research it was also seen that the
customers are mostly into sports activities like Football, Cricket, and Volleyball etc. Above
information generates the need of focusing on the sport enthusiast youth and understanding the
needs and wants of that particular demographic segment.
The management can mainly focus on the footwear and apparels category as these two
categories are purchased more than the other categories. The accessories and sports equipment
section should offer more versatility in terms of product offerings and price points so as to attract
the customers to themselves. So other than anything else consumers perceive Planet Sports as a
store where a wide range of products of each product category of apparels and footwear are
offered. Mostly it was word-of-mouth by which customers got to know about planet sports. From
67
the research results it is seen that the interactions with the sales representatives are good and
effective which slightly differs from the store visit observations. During the store visit of a store
of Planet Sports, Mumbai it was observed that the sales representatives are reluctant to approach
the customers and they are not so knowledgeable as compared to the other EBOs of major sports
brands. As this research does not include data from any store of Mumbai, this difference may be
dependent on the location of the store. Most of the customers are satisfied after shopping at
Planet Sports as they find the product quality of the store excellent as compared to the other
stores. It is also seen that Planet Sports gets high rating as compared to other similar stores that
deal with products related to sports.
Several dependency tests were done to find out if the factors of consumer perception
depended on the demographic factors. The factors considered while performing the dependency
tests are product type & sports involvement, billing amount & income, driving factor &
occupation, satisfaction after purchase & sports involvement, product type & age and product
type & gender. It is seen that none of the tests rejected null hypothesis which means the factors
are not dependent on each other. As the customer base can clearly be identified from the
response data, the management can focus on their product offerings, marketing methods and
service irrespective of the income, age, gender, occupation of entire population of customers.
This section is going to answer the second part of the research objective. According to the
research most of the customers heard about the new brands probably because they were informed
about the new brands after the walk in to the store. The customers moderately often heard about
these brands in their peer group. Although the customers heard about the brands mostly, they are
found not be extremely familiar with the brands and most of the customers never got to use these
brands. The customers who had actually used products of Umbro and/or Champion were
moderately satisfied. For sports shoes of both category (Performance and Lifestyle) mostly the
customers are willing to pay 2000-3000 INR. It is seen that Nike, Puma, Adidas and Converse
are most preferred and loved brands in terms of sports apparels, footwear and accessories. The
customers would moderately likely recommend these brands to their peer group. All the above
information shows that the recognition level of the brand is not so high. The present scenario
generates the need of awareness of these brands among the target customer base and the
68
marketing strategies and pricing strategies should meet the consumer’s expectations. These two
new brands can import the ideas, trends and technologies from the major sports brands of India
to divert consumer’s mind and to survive and expand the market share.
Although the research comes up with a very positive note of consumer perception towards
the store, there are few areas which need to be worked upon. Although word of mouth is one of
the strongest communication media, Planet Sports should be more visible in print (e.g.
newspaper, magazine etc.) and broadcast media (television, radio etc.). A lot of customers got to
know about the store only after walk in to the mall or shopping area which means otherwise they
had no knowledge about the store. If the situation remains the same the sales of the newly
launched agency brands will be affected as not many people are aware of the brands yet. Product
expansion in the areas like accessories (soccer balls, mountaineering equipments etc.) which may
give high profit can be done. Opening more stores in tier II cities can be planned to attract more
consumers from the target customer base. Brand visibility can be enhanced by collaborating with
major sports academies and national sports events across India for nurturing young talent. Online
promotions and activities can be initiated so as to enhance the branding of the store as well as
newly launched brand awareness level. Training sessions for the sales representatives regarding
product specification and SOP of the store can be conducted more frequently to ensure the
service consistency within the stores. The promotional strategies, advertisement campaigns etc.
can be planned and done in such a way so that the students and young professional sports
enthusiasts get attracted towards the store as well as the newly introduced agency brands.
The research revealed the customers’ perception of the store, its service, and product
assortment. In a future study the research methodology could be improved by adding more focus
on the reasons behind these perceptions. Understanding the reasons behind customers’
perception could give the management valuable information and deeper insights. This would be
important in the future, for example, if considering changing location. A more profound research
methodology could be complemented with an extended research, for example, a depth interview
or personal interviews with the focus on open ended questions. This can be done within any of
the factors of perception-Price, Service, Quality, Packaging and Branding etc. Relatively much
research and studies on customer perceptions has already been conducted but they are often
69
related to the other industries. The findings are often very industry specific and therefore, they
are hard to apply on other retail sectors and it is difficult to know if they are applicable. Hence,
another suggestion for improvement is to do a similar study for a similar store. Retailing is
nowadays much more competitive than it used to be, therefore it would be interesting to compare
the results from this study against the results from another store within the same industry and
segment. When comparing the results against each other Planet Sports could benefit from the
results. Knowing one another’s strengths and weaknesses originates in new ideas and
perspectives and it is possible to learn from others mistakes. On the other hand as time was a
constraint in this research, more detailed study can be done taking all the stores of Planet Sports
into account. Moreover, zone wise sales data can be analyzed to study different product
categories and zone wise consumer perception can be found out through a more detailed
research. The brand recognition analysis can be done after one season so as to evaluate the
measures taken for improvement of the brand awareness.
8. BIBLIOGRAPHY
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http://www.graphpad.com/support/faqid/1089/
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http://www.raosoft.com/samplesize.html
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http://www.ey.com/IN/en/Industries/India-sectors/Retail---Wholesale/Sportswear-retail
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http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/convenience-sampling.html
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9. ANNEXURES
Sports Equipments
1.5. How much money (in Rs.) do you generally spend while shopping?
1.6. Does Planet Sports provide wide range of products in one product category?
Yes No
72
1.9. How is Planet Sports maintaining product Quality compared to other retail stores?
1.10. Compared to other similar stores that offer sports products, how would you rate
Planet Sports?
Yes No
1.12. Were you informed about Umbro& Champion after you entered Planet Sports?
Yes No
Yes No
1.16. If you have already used products of Umbro and/or Champion, how would you rate
your satisfaction level?
73
1.17. How often have you heard other people talking about Umbro and/or Champion?
1.18. According to the following categories please choose your preferred price range(s)
which you are willing to pay per unit:
1.19. According to the following categories please choose your most preferred brand?
Brands
Puma Nike Adidas Converse Skechers Fila Umbro Champion Others
(Please
Category
Specify)
Apparels
Footwear
Accessories
1.20. Please mention the product categories that are missing from the brands-Umbro&
Champion (if any)?
__________________________________________________________________________________
1.21. How likely is it that you would recommend Umbro& Champion to a friend or
colleague?
Extremely Not at
Likely all
Likely
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Name: _____________________________
2. Demographic Information
74
2.1. Gender
Male Female Others
2.2.Age
Under 20 years 20 – 25 years 26 – 30 years
31 – 40 years 41 – 50 years 51 – 60 years
Above 60 years
2.3 Education
Under High School High School Bachelor Degree
2.4 Occupation
Student Housewife Employee
Yes No ___________________________________________
75